the gifts we leave
by BrightWatcher
Summary: It's their first Christmas after Sarai's death and Harrow wants to let Callum and Ezran know it can still be special.


**the gifts we leave**

Harrow knew this was going to be one of those Christmas's that he would remember when he was old and gray. This Christmas would shape his children's childhood and inspire them to launch into their futures confident and unafraid. Unfortunately there was a problem.

Harrow couldn't sew.

He stared at the soft bright colors of the fabric in front of him and skimmed the pattern instructions and measurements and each time found his mind going blank as he tried to focus. He grunted and pushed it all away from him, unable to look at it.

Sarai would know what to do. She would swoop in and laugh at him for his frustration before giving him an apologetic kiss and furtively sliding the scissors out of his hand. Every Christmas he'd known her, she'd always insisted on making her own gifts for people. Whenever Harrow asked her why she didn't commission a gift or to "just buy something" she'd give him the most _offended_ look.

Her voice would be part exasperation and part fondness. "When you make someone something with your hands, it's like the thing gains special powers. Whenever they see it and know that you made it, that you thought of it and that you put time into shaping and crafting it especially for them… They'll smile. And whatever day they're having will get a tiny bit better." Her expression hardened. "Will a set of dish towels bought at Walmart do the same thing?" This would be followed by her shoulders stiffening in a challenge that warned him against doing anything other than agreeing and helpfully offering to go to the craft store the next day.

Harrow glanced at the door. Then he shook his head and hunched over the sewing patterns again. Sarai had gotten the exact amount of fabric needed with no extra for mistakes and Christmas was in five days and he was out of excuses. Callum was at school and Ezran was napping. The perfect time to work on secret Christmas presents.

His phone buzzed. It was Amaya.

_A: Hey. Just confirming Gren and I will be out around 10 o'clock on Christmas._

Another buzz.

_A: Have you finished your presents for the boys?_

A part of him was sure Amaya used her former military career to do surveillance into his mind. He tapped out a response.

_H: Sure have! :)_

Oh he was so done for. He checked the door for the hundredth time and paused at seeing Viren there. He was still in his suit from work.

Viren raised an eyebrow. "You seem preoccupied. I've been standing here for several minutes."

"What are you doing here?" Harrow winced. He hadn't meant to snap.

"I…" Viren cleared his throat. "I came to pick up those forms for the meeting tomorrow."

Harrow nodded. "Right." He shuffled around the table. Viren followed him into the dining room where Harrow had placed the forms. "Twenty copies. This should be everything."

Silence hung in the air.

Harrow checked his phone. He had two new texts.

_A: Liar._

_A: This is Gren. I've taken Maya's phone. She's two seconds from storming your house._

"How are you doing?"

Harrow put away his phone and went back to the work room where fabric of all different colors lay sprawled over the tables. He didn't answer.

"Harrow."

He ignored him and began to organize the messy chaos into messy piles.

"Harrow." Viren's fingers were tight on the thick bundle of folders. "As your friend… I want you to know that anything you need… I will do what I can to help."

"I don't need anything."

"And the boys?"

"We're managing just fine." Sarai had picked all of these colors herself. They clashed terribly. He remembered how enthusiastically she'd blown through the store, stroking different fabrics and chatting with the store employees who'd lost their beleaguered customer service attitudes upon engaging with her. He would never see her brighten a room again.

Viren's left foot tapped. "And that's why you've turned the workroom into a sewing factory that looks as efficient as my children's homework skills?"

Harrow's mouth tightened. Then he forced himself to relax. "I'm sorry. I've not been my best lately. I would appreciate it if I could have some time alone for now. Thank you for your concern." It hadn't been Viren's fault and Harrow _knew_ that… but Viren was the reason Sarai was dead.

"Oh for Christ's sake Harrow. I'm your best friend not some coworker making sympathetic small talk at the grocery store." Viren set the work forms aside and strode into the room. "What are you working on?" He studied the pattern Harrow had spread out and frowned. "I think you're missing some parts."

This was his best friend. The man he'd grown up with. They'd been through almost everything together. The birth of their children, weddings, Viren's divorce, and many deaths. But they hadn't been together for the one thing that mattered most. "No, that's correct. I accidentally did step 3 first and now I'm trying to backtrack."

"Hmm…" Viren grunted and nudged Harrow aside.

This close Harrow could see how haggard Viren looked. He wasn't a naturally vibrant man. But this last year… They were both more worn around the edges. He remembered a chance meeting of two boys both set on changing the world. Those boys were gone, they'd run off into the sunset with their swords to slay dragons and left two men struggling to raise children of their own.

"I will help you." Viren declared.

"What?"

"You're clearly inept at this particular skill though something tells me you knew that going into this. Not all of us were born a rich prince." Despite the biting words his voice was open and warm.

Harrow's smile wasn't forced this time and he accepted it for the peace offering it was. "My father was a minor government official." He slipped easily into the old argument. It was comforting.

The stiffness between the two men eased and for a time they were two best friends once more with a common goal.

* * *

Hours later, the two men surveyed their work.

"Well." Viren's mouth thinned as he suppressed a smile.

Harrow scowled. "You said you knew what you were doing."

"It's not my fault someone got trigger happy with the scissors and made the bulk of the material useless."

They stared at their creation. They unanimously decided this called for a drink.

Sarai would have been rolling on the ground laughing.

As they settled at the kitchen table with their drinks Harrow asked, "So are you ready to tackle Callum's?"

Viren ran his fingers through his graying hair. "Harrow you will not inflict the awkward responsibility of 'Acting polite to assuage your feelings' upon that child. Just buy him something."

"But I want him to know I care for him the same as Ezran! What if he thinks I didn't care enough to put effort and time into his gift?"

"My children always have lists drawn up and ready at this time of year, from which I select several appropriate options. Perhaps Callum has such a list?"

Harrow took a drink. "He's never said… I don't want to push him."

"You of all people know sometimes people need to be pushed."

"I can't ask him. Then it wouldn't be a surprise!" Harrow turned pleading eyes towards Viren. "Do you think you could ask him what he wants?"

Viren rolled his eyes. "No."

* * *

Viren didn't know why he was doing this. Well, he did. Because Harrow was his best friend and he owed it to him after Sarai. He'd attempted to get Claudia and Soren to find out what Callum wanted for Christmas. They were all children and that meant they communicated on the same level, right?

Of course, Soren and Claudia's methods of finding things out were often radical and ended badly. Which is why Viren and his children were at Harrow's house for supper three days before Christmas and why Viren was approaching a child he'd always had limited interactions with. Viren had never met Callum's birth father and it had always been stressed by Harrow that he wanted to respect the other man's presence in the boy's life.

"Hello." That was friendly enough. Viren pulled out a chair and sat across from the boy. He imagined he was entering a dangerous business meeting.

Callum sat at the kitchen table with a sketchbook. His soft voice was tentative as he said "Hi." His brow creased in concentration as he moved his pencil slowly across the page.

"What are you drawing?"

"A map of the world during the period of the Dragon Reign."

"Ahhh you like the history. The Dragon War in particular?"

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a little while. Ezran was asleep. Harrow was watching his children which equated to all three of them being glued to the TV watching a children's show that probably involved magic and elves. Soren loved those shows and swore he was going to be an Olympic duelist.

"What do you like about the Dragon War?"

"Which one? There are seven. Unless you're one of those who believes that only the first three were real."

"You're quite knowledgeable about this. Very well then I am asking about the one most popular and the one we know the most about. The third Dragon War. With the princes and the assassins' guild and the most daring aerial combat mission ever attempted."

"I like the ending of it." Callum's pencil came to a stop. "There was a big space between the third and fourth war. People actually tried to be nice to each other for a while after it was done. I like that. It didn't stay nice because people are dumb but I like that people tried."

"You're very wise for your age." Despite himself Viren actually found himself intrigued. The boy was incredibly well spoken for his age. There were only a couple years difference between him and Claudia. While she was a brilliant child with a good head for science she still found immense satisfaction in making "fart flower smells" with her science kits.

"Where did you learn all of this?"

"Mom had a book on it and we learned about it in school."

"Do you think you'd like more books to study further?"

"Maybe." Callum lifted his head from his sketchbook and peeked at Viren through his dark mop of hair. "You know what I'd really like to do?"

Viren couldn't believe his fortune. The child was handing him everything. "What?"

"I want to go to Scotland. And see where the wars took place. I want to see the region of Xadia. That's where the Dragon families came from and some say it's where magic used to come from. I know magic isn't real anymore. But all the best stories come from there."

Well maybe Harrow could add that to his list of college presents when the boy was older. Maybe a tourist book would be good enough. "I hope you get to go there someday."

"I know that I can't." Callum looked down at his map. Viren could make out a surprisingly detailed drawing that even included borders between countries and simple squiggles to represent the ocean water between Europe and North America. "Ever since Mom died I know we can't do things like we used to. It makes Harrow sad to think of going places because Mom's not there to make things fun anymore. It's like… It's like since Mom died there's a breach cutting me and my family off from all things ok. We're stuck feeling sad and anytime I forget and start to feel happy again I feel awful."

Callum still referred to his step-dad by his name. Viren didn't think this was a good time to bring up that subject. "Your mother… Was she a boring person?"

The boy scoffed. "No. She was the coolest person ever."

"Indeed. Was she a serious person all the time?"

Callum rolled his eyes. "You knew her."

"And she was very interesting, yes?"

He nodded vigorously.

"Do you think she'd want you to never be happy again?"

"I… No?"

"Well then you should allow yourself to be happy. And so should Harrow."

"But sometimes I forget her… It's been so long that I've grown used to not having her around and I'm afraid she'll vanish from my head completely."

Viren wished he was a "big feelings" person like Harrow was. Like Sarai had been. They would probably hug the child. Viren was not the hugging type.

"Callum. The day someone forgets your mother is the day Harrow stops caring for you. Which I think you know will never happen." There. That was the closest he could get to sappy. How did Harrow do this all the time? His own children were much easier to work with.

This should be enough for Harrow to go off of. Viren knew Harrow would probably feel guilty that he hadn't known of Callum's fascination with history. While Harrow took naturally to being a loving father and honorable businessman he could still be oblivious to human nature. When coaxing out information from a client one had to be willing to push. Harrow still handled the boy like he was a glass sculpture in danger of cracking. The boy needed a father who could guide and push him. Not a guardian afraid of making him uncomfortable.

That night when Viren said good night to his children he impulsively reached out and pulled them in for a hug one at a time. Claudia reciprocated eagerly and bounced off to bed.

Soren hesitated before returning the embrace and stared up at him with his vivid blue eyes. "Dad?"

Viren let go. "Good night."

For the first time since Sarai's death the guilt in his chest eased and he slept through the night.

He didn't mention the hug next morning but his children both greeted him with more enthusiasm than normal (which was an accomplishment) and he couldn't help but smile. He liked the burst of warmth that exploded in his chest when his children waved goodbye and shouted "Love you!" when they dashed towards the school bus.

* * *

Christmas Day dawned bleak and gray and muddy. But nobody cared to notice.

Viren and his family arrived mid-morning in varying degrees of excitement and feigned grumpiness. Amaya and Gren came soon after, bearing armloads of presents.

Amaya tried to get everyone to eat breakfast but nobody paid her much attention. Gren and Callum were passing out gifts while Soren bounced off the walls swinging a green lightsaber he'd opened earlier that morning. Viren always let Soren and Claudia pick one present to unwrap before heading out to Harrow's as it staved off their inevitable combustion from anticipation.

Claudia was not a morning person, even on Christmas, and was making a new pot of coffee. After giving her dad his standard cup of coffee with a dash of milk, she'd started crafting her own "hot brown morning potion." Harrow tried to get her to come join in the fun as he didn't know how Viren could encourage his daughter to fall into a caffeine addiction this young in life while Amaya plied everyone with jelly tarts.

After almost an hour of disorganization everyone was settled with a jumble of presents at their feet and on their laps. Coffee refills were seen to and just when things were ready Ezran had to go to the bathroom.

"Don't start without me!" His short legs propelled him out of the room in a blur.

Finally it was time.

Callum had created paintings and drawings for everyone. With Callum's help Ezran had made ornaments.

Viren's family didn't fully commit to the rigid "Make your own gifts" policy Sarai had imposed on her own family; but the gifts they'd chosen were full of thought and care.

Callum even gave Viren a hug when he saw his present was a history book of the third Dragon War with lavish illustrations.

As it had been for as long as the kids could remember, Amaya brought everyone's favorite baked goods from Barius's Bakery.

Gren had decided to give each child a pair of socks with colorful designs on them and each of the adults gift cards for their favorite coffee stops. "Man isn't it great that socks are way down but they really lift you up?"

Soren gave Claudia a plastic snake bracelet and to everyone's _lack_ of surprise she adored it.

When it came time for Harrow to give his gifts to Callum and Ezran he hid his nervousness.

Ezran went first. He tore into the red and gold wrapping paper and gasped in delight. It was a stuffed animal. Yellow with blue spots it had eyes that were only a little mismatched and a huge frown (Harrow had copied the instructions exactly but later found out he'd done it upside down).

"I LOVE it." Ezran shouted. He clutched the odd creature to his chest.

Harrow beamed at him. "I'm so glad."

"THANK YOU."

"You're very welcome." This had all turned out all right in the end. Harrow cast a relieved look towards Viren who raised an eyebrow. "Thank you." He mouthed.

"WHAT IS IT?"

Oh. Viren raised his other eybrow. _Well. Answer the child._

"He's a..." Harrow remembered the fantasy show the kids all watched (that he himself secretly binged at night). He lowered his voice and whispered theatrically. "He's a magical creature. A creature that is used as bait to trap dangerous predators. Sometimes he glows!"

"He looks like a pineapple." Soren said with a frown.

"Or a toad." Claudia giggled. "A grumpy toad."

"I love him." Ezran hugged the magical pineapple toad close. "I need to come up with the perfect name for him."

"Your mother is responsible for the amazing design. I just helped bring it into being." Across the room Viren choked on his jelly tart. Harrow then gestured at Callum who was nodding appreciatively as Ezran rattled off names. "Your turn."

Callum didn't tear into his wrapping paper like his brother. He ripped the paper open carefully and unwound the layers of white tissue paper to reveal what lay inside. It was a scarf. He unfolded the knitted piece and touched the gold embellishments. "Woahhh." He blinked. "It's so soft."

"Your mother made it for you. She slaved over that thing for ages. You can see where she cast on a few too many stitches but was too frustrated to undo it." Harrow pointed to several places where the scarf wasn't quite straight but bulged outwards, then pointed where stitches had been taken away. "I added the gold designs on the ends. I copied the design from one of your books, it was a symbol of royalty during the time of the Dragon Wars."

Harrow placed a hand on Ezran's shoulder. "She really did plan your gift too." He scooted over and pulled both of them into a hug. His broad form enveloped them in warmth. "The last gifts to our sons from the both of us."

Ezran burrowed his head into his father's chest. Callum seemed to debate with himself before whispering, "Thanks Dad."

* * *

_10 Years Later_

Callum sat on his bed. It had been a year of adventure and change. Callum was at university and currently studying abroad in Scotland. Ezran had finished high school early and was studying to be a veterinarian.

It was the fifth year since Harrow's death. In the months following their dad's death Callum and Ezran had grown closer even as they parted ways.

The two of them didn't let distance stop them from video calling multiple times a week and texting all the time. Over time Viren had sort of become a parent figure along with Aunt Amaya. Viren and Amaya had never been the best of friends even when Sarai had been alive but they both tried their best to care for Callum and Ezran despite the miles separating them all.

He was going to get to experience Christmas in Scotland. He should be giddy with delight and running around the streets of Glagow. Instead he was in his room staring at a photograph of a Christmas from years ago. The year Mom had died and Harrow had created a stuffed animal and tried to pass it off as magical.

The creature whom Ezran had dubbed "Bait" on the bed next to him. He was on loan to keep him company through his international travels. "What do you think?" He asked the blue and yellow toy.

He imagined that the frown on Bait's face took on a sympathetic cast.

"Yeah I know. I should go out and soak in the amazing city. This is what I've dreamed of since I was a kid." He sighed wearily. "I am excited to be here but right now I just feel tired. I can't summon the strength to just _move."_

He curled up and hugged Bait close, imagining Ezran was there to comfort him. He remembered the letter Dad had written to him. The letter he had cried over for hours after reading. _"In my eyes and in my heart, you are my son. I see myself in you. I'm proud of you. And I love you unconditionally."_

A knock sounded on the door. He was staying with an eccentric lady in Scotland while he studied and had learned a great deal from her even if she did dress strangely.

"Callum! A friend is here to see you."

"Thanks Lujanne. I'm coming." He rolled off the bed and rubbed his head and finger combed his hair. He gave Bait a pat on the head before heading out.

In the front room stood his best friend bundled up in her black and green coat. Rayla had a smile that made your heart flutter and your whole being feel warm. Or was that just him?

"Hey!" He gave her a quick hug. "Why are you here?" They'd met at University of Glasgow during his first week. She had tripped and fallen over him while carrying a very sharp pencil and he'd thought she'd been trying to kill him. After much apologizing, and some mistaken insults, and some unexpected heart to heart talks, and a quest to find the biggest egg at a local market they'd become practically inseparable.

"Ez sent me a message saying you were probably moping and needed to be dragged out of the house."

Naturally Callum had introduced Rayla to Ezran and the rest of his family. She often came over to join in the group video calls they conducted every couple weeks. Ezran and Rayla had become close and made a habit of sharing memes and embarrassing pictures of Callum.

Callum chuckled and blushed. "My brother knows me too well."

"I've decided to take you to explore the Glasgow Christmas Market. My parents took me every year when I was little." She rattled on. "Runaan and Ethari are going to be there too and have invited you to join us for dinner later." Her pale face was flushed from the cold and she'd taken her hat off so her white hair was sticking up in a white fuzz around her face. "I already asked Lujanne and she says you're welcome to stay and have potatoes for the fourth night in a row."

He blanched a little. Lujanne was an exceptional cook. However he often found that his food hadn't been cooked all the way and sometimes made daring escapes from his plate. "That sounds amazing Rayla. I'd love to do all of that."

"Great. Lemme text Runaan." She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message. "Now let's go my sad artist. It's Christmas and you're in my hometown which is the best place in the whole wide world."

* * *

Callum had always heard Scotland was where magic used to come from. Standing in the George Square Christmas Market he understood. Everywhere in Scotland there was a shimmer. When he'd first arrived he'd noticed that even the dirt was magical.

The entire world glowed. The people browsing and rushing about in the illumination of countless lights strung across the sky made him feel like he could sink into the golden haze and never come out.

Rayla kept a hold of his hand and dragged him along past fascinating stalls of enticing scents and gorgeous crafts that begged to be admired. "You have to see this one artist. You'll love his work."

They finally came to a stop by a wood stall with lights strung under the awning. The man had a dark blue jacket with wings embroidered on the back. His hair was shaved up the sides and highlighted a pale green.

"Hi Ibis." Rayla pushed Callum to the side of the stand where they weren't in the way of the crowd of people trying to see. "Look Callum, he does the best landscapes like you do. And maps. Ibis actually has flight training and has mapped Scotland from the air!"

"Woahhh." His green eyes were huge and Rayla beamed. "This is… This is incredible."

Rayla made introductions between the two artists and they chatted for a time with Ibis even offering to take Callum flying in the new year.

The two of them browsed the market for a few more hours before heading to Rayla's where Runaan and Ethari were making dinner with Moonberry Surprise for dessert.

Afterwards Callum and Rayla sprawled out over her bedroom floor. He'd texted Lujanne and informed her he'd be spending the night at Rayla's.

"So why were you feeling down earlier today?" Rayla flicked a pom pom at him. She kept a stash of the brightly colored fluff balls for some unknown reason. Callum had started taking them to Lujanne's and putting eyes on them.

"Well… Not really any real reason…" He fidgeted with his hands and tried to put words together. "It's hard to explain. I guess I just miss my family."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah. And my aunt. And Viren. And his kids who are like honorary siblings. I'm strangely okay being away from home but sometimes I just think about what they're all probably up to and feel sad."

"That seems perfectly normal to me. It's okay to miss your family, Callum. I'd be worried if you didn't."

"Do you miss your parents?"

Rayla nodded. "Every day. I mean for years I was furious because they'd been branded traitors and banned from the military and then well… You know."

He did. The first couple weeks he'd known Rayla he'd quickly learned her parents weren't a comfortable subject. They'd been labelled as deserters on an important mission when she was young and she'd gone to live full time with Runaan and Ethari. Last month however, new information had come to light and they'd been rebranded and confirmed heroes, killed in action.

Rayla had undergone a transformation before his eyes. The smoky veil of shame and anger had lifted and the full beauty of her soul could be seen. Callum had always seen it, but now he saw others noticing it too. He thought she was like moonlight. Moonlight was subtle, but if you paused to look it turned everything to silver.

"Now I'm sad. But happy too that they were really the people I looked up to as a child."

They scooted closer together and lay side by side on her floor, staring up her ceiling where Ethari had painted a night sky.

"My dad was a great guy." He swallowed. "After Mom died he was always there for Ez and me. He always went the extra mile. He even continued to enforce Mom's tradition of making your own presents for everyone."

"That's a lovely tradition."

Callum focused on the stars painted in metallic silver on the ceiling so the tears welling in his eyes didn't feel as obvious. He didn't see Rayla gazing at him with a soft expression on her face.

"My mom…" He choked a little. Why did he have to get choked up every time he talked about her? "My mom always said that when you made something it gave the thing special powers. She refused to go anywhere but craft stores during the holiday season and dragged Dad to every single one when she could."

"Ethari always makes presents for Runaan and me and a few of our closest friends. I think it's wonderful. I wish I was good at making things."

"It's the love that goes into the thing that makes the difference, not the skill. You've seen Bait."

They laughed.

* * *

A few days later Callum and Lujanne came to Rayla's home for Christmas.

Callum had drawn a family portrait for Runaan and Ethari which they accepted with exclamations of delight.

He had worked extra hard on Rayla's gift. He'd also fretted and gone back and forth over whether she would like it or if it was too familiar a gift for a guy to get a girl he was definitely only friends with.

She opened it and picked it up and raised a hand to her lips which were parted in wonder. "It's beautiful." It was a pendant on a sparkling silver chain.  
Ethari had helped Callum make it at his metal working shop. The pendant was a hammered out circle with an intricately swirled crescent moon on the bottom and a tiny star in the center.

"Ethari helped. A lot." He blushed.

"Callum did it all himself. I merely instructed and gave tips." Ethari said.

Rayla touched it and let her fingers trace the engraved metal. "I really love it Callum. Thank you." She bumped her knee against his. "Open yours now." She bounced a little.

Callum pulled the tissue paper out of the red and green bag and found himself unfolding… a scarf? It was teal with dark green and hints of heathery purple in the fibers. The fringe was soft and it was wonderfully warm in his hands.

She leaned closer, anxiously scanning his face.

"Did you make this?" He stroked the soft wool.

"I dyed the yarn myself back during the summer before you came. I kept waiting for the perfect chance to use it and then you came to my house for the first time on one of the few hot days of the year wearing a scarf and jacket and about passed out. I knew it was the opportunity I've been waiting for. I know your scarf is from your parents and I don't want to replace it. But when you go back home…" Rayla gave him a shy nudge. "I want you to have something to remember m-… us by. I've spent the last two months frantically knitting in between studying and adventuring with you trying to get it done in time for Christmas."

The scarf's dye was patchy, the wool lumpy in places, and he loved it. "I will wear it every day." He promised solemnly. "Except for on hot days. I've learned my lesson.

* * *

"_The last gifts to our sons from the both of us."_

That was what Harrow had said about Ezran's stuffed toy and Callum's red scarf.

As Callum sat surrounded by new friends, thrilled at the thought of a new decade ahead full of new experiences and the love from his family… He thought that his parents had given him more than a scarf. They had given him the ability to press on through the darkest days.

He knew that the years would hold change and loss. The world would continue to spin in the void of space while people laughed and died and dreamed.

The years would also hold new friendships. Countless moments were waiting to be forged into memories he could treasure.

Through it all he would continue to create and give.

After all putting love and care into a thing gave it special powers.

_Fin._

* * *

**NOTES: **The Dragon Prince has had such an impact on my life in the short time it's aired. It's so beautiful and positive and inspiring I've been creating more out of joy than I have in years. This is the first fanfic I've written in over 5 years if my profile is anything to go off of.

A few fun things from the writing process:

While I have been to Scotland, I have never been to Glasgow. If anyone spots anything glaringly wrong let me know. I simply looked up things to do in Glasgow around Christmas and thought the "Glasgow Christmas Markets" (yes there are two but I only talked about one) were PERFECT for Callum and Rayla. I also looked up the University of Glasgow's semester schedule for reference.

According to the Hot Brown Morning Potion podcast interview with Jason Simpson (Viren's VA) Viren does drink his coffee with a splash of Banther milk. ;)

This was originally going to be a few hundred words of Harrow making a toy and giving it to Ezran who loves it despite it being a little rough on craftsmanship. That original seed remains but it took on a life of its own.

The quote Callum remembers from Harrow's letter is a direct quote from the show's letter. However in this universe where things went differently, the rest of the letter's contents would be vastly changed as I wanted to give Callum and Harrow a chance earlier on to develop a closer father/son relationship.

Father/son relationships in this show are super important to me and I included several things for my own indulgence. The two most prominent are that Harrow gets to hear Callum call him "Dad" and that Soren gets a hug from his dad.

Viren remains one of my favorite characters on the show even though I really dislike him as a person. One of my favorite things to ponder is that I think he and Callum (had a myriad of things gone differently) would have gotten along really well. In a different world. So I made it happen here. We don't know what kind of people we really are under pressure. This is a Viren who has led a more or less "normal" life. He hasn't had to deal with ruling a kingdom or famines or wars. He's the Viren I think that legitimately used to exist when he and Harrow were younger and carried fewer burdens and mistakes.

I really wanted Sarai to be alive at the beginning of the fic and then time jump to after her death but felt it would have lessened the focus I wanted on everyone still dealing with the aftermath months later. I really wanted there to be a line from Sarai directed at Viren, "I swear with my last breath I'll wreak vengeance on you." *cough cough* I tried for a while to make it fit but it just didn't work. Maybe in a different story...

Callum was originally going to be in his home reading the letter from Harrow right after learning about his death. But I wanted Rayla in this story. Really really badly. So Glasgow and a whole Rayllum fluff ending happened.

Optional Scenes in the outline that never made it in: Amaya complaining about a new coworker named Janai and Gren purposefully saying the wrong things the entire time and she whacks him + An additional fluff scene with Viren discussing Christmas with Soren and Claudia. I'm saying this fic is part of a collection in case I return to this AU because I love it and more ideas are running rampant in my head. No promises though. If you know anything about how fanfiction authors are about updating this will make sense...

The Christmas scene I wrote here is actually fairly reminiscent of how my family does Christmas. Organized chaos. There's 12 people on average in my immediate family so we make a decent crowd. We organize all the presents and each person accumulates a pile. Several of us live off of hot brown morning potion all day long. Half of us don't eat while the other half pesters us to. XD

This story was so much fun to write. I haven't loved writing like this in forever and I hope you enjoyed my heavily self-indulgent fic and lengthy end notes. I also took a ridiculous amount of pleasure in cramming in as many show references as possible. Tell me which ones you notice. I want to see if someone finds them all...

Merry Christmas, Dragon Prince Fandom. May your stockings we laden with adoraburrs and hot brown morning potion gift cards. 3


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